How to Cut an Avocado
Get the slice or dice you need for toast, guacamole, and salads.
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When you have a perfectly ripe avocado, there’s no time to waste. Luckily, you can easily slice, pit, and peel this luscious, healthy fruit for toast, salads, guacamole, and other meals from morning to night. Here’s how to do it safely and quickly.
Cut the avocado in half lengthwise by cutting down to the pit, then turning the avocado until you’ve cut through on all sides. Twist the avocado halves to separate them.
Hold the avocado half with the pit in place cut-side up on the cutting board, and (very carefully) whack your knife into the pit. Twist the knife to remove the pit.
Flip the avocado over so the cut side faces down and slice each half lengthwise. Starting from the top of one piece, gently peel back the skin. Repeat with the remaining three pieces. You can cut the pieces crosswise afterward to dice the avocado, or mash it for guacamole or toast.
You can also dice the avocado while keeping it in the skin. Hold the avocado half in one hand, then use a small paring knife to cut even vertical slices into the avocado up to the skin. Cut it crossways, then use a spoon to scoop out the diced avocado.
How do you know if an avocado is ripe?
Hass avocados (the most common type) will have dark brown and slightly wrinkled skin when they’re ripe. A ripe avocado should have a little give but not feel mushy — avoid the temptation to squeeze it, which can bruise the fruit and cause it to spoil more quickly. To speed up the process, you can place it in a paper bag; adding a banana or apple will help it to ripen more quickly thanks to the ethylene gas these fruits contain.
How to avoid ‘avocado hand’
Humorous as it sounds, ‘avocado hand’ is a real condition, according to doctors, and refers to injuries that occur when cutting into an avocado. Make sure to use an avocado that is ripe and a knife that is sharp enough for easy slicing, which will prevent your knife from slipping. For a little extra security, nestle the avocado in a dish towel in your hand.
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